- Six Capitals and Six Double Columns from Cloister at Saint Pons-de-Thomieres
- Introduction
- The artwork, which is located at the Toledo museum of arts (2445 Monroe Street), is one of the materials created in the mid 12th century. The artwork originated from Herault, France and it is still located in the same place to date. The main artifacts presented in this work include a plinth to keystone that is approximate 5/8inches. The plinth to spring of arch is 88 inches located in between the columns on the centers of the main keystones. The artisans’ located plinth to spring of arch in the columns at 1/4 inches. The medium of the artwork is marble while the object number is 1929.203. According to the history of the artwork, the money that purchased the artwork was from the Libbey Endowment (British Archaeological Association 56). The funds were a gift from Edward Drummond Libbey. The description of the artwork in the museum is St. Pons and the Bears.
- Iconography
- The artwork uses various symbols in order to transmit messages and offer significant lessons to the viewers. There are various sculptures represented in the artwork that depicts various messages from the monks’ lifestyle back in the 12th century. This particular artwork in the Toledo museum represents the architecture of the Romanesque era. The monastery of Saint Pons-de-Thomieres presents a wide range of medieval sculpture styles used by the monks. The six capitals and the six double columns vividly depict the real situation that is possible to happen in the last judgment. The artwork also depicts the how the separation of the saved and unsaved will be during the end times. The artwork also illustrates the rich narrative that the monks gave concerning the passion and resurrection of Christ. According to monks, the readings in the outstanding cloister capitals were of significance importance to their culture.
- Medium and Technique
- Various materials that the artisans used to construct the object located in the Toledo museum include the horseshoe arch. Stones were also significant features that the masons and the artisans included in the artwork. The monks’ artisans arranged most of their buildings in a manner that appeared like a gallery, which they named a cloister. They surrounded the cloister with various walkways that connected to the place of worship. The artisans also build the museum’s medieval gallery in a manner that the monastic arcades were supporting the walkway roofs in order to make sure that the building was in a secure nature. According to the plan of the artisans, they were building the column capitals in a manner that the monks could be satisfied during contemplation.
- Form
- The artwork depicts various technical qualities that the artisan used in making of the object. According to the artwork, every capital depicts different technical qualities that the monks used for various significance purposes (Kleiner 420). The cloisters at Cuxa had distorted figures that include the animals and stylized acanthus leaves. Another feature present at this cloisters were the library of manuscripts. The subjects in this cloister failed to relate with the particular outlined religious themes as they were basing their teachings on bestiary. The monks considered the cloisters of Cuxa to be the largest among the others outlined by as number of historians. They were 63 columns in number at this particular cloister. The capitals in this crystal were from pinkish marble materials.
- The cloisters had sculptural decoration considering that this was a holy place for the monks because they were holding all their divine ceremonies in these buildings. The artisans used the Catalan method in constructing the cloisters. Other sculptors were from the materials extracted in various quarries. Most of the artisans were more impressive while making various objects of the artwork. The skills and techniques that the artisans were using consisted of similar fashion. The artisans made most of the objects in geometrical form (Kramer, 218). However, not all of the objects were geometrical as some had irregular contours. The artisans made some of the objects in the cloisters using two-dimensional form. In this type of artwork, the artisans were making some of the objects in a positive space on the front space while the back was in the negative space. The value of the artwork was in relative brightness in most of the objects created by the monks’ artisans.
- PERIOD STYLE
- The artisans who managed to perform the artwork had high experience in this field considering the type of objects they were able to make. The Toledo museum give the public a chance to view the artwork back in the late 1929 an early 1934. The management of the museum was able to acquire the sections of the three medieval arcades. The management was also able to acquire rows of arches mostly carried in columns.
- CONTENT
- The artwork depicts how the monks shared influences between various centers in the early days. There were also cases of close fertilization between different communities that offered ideas on making of various objects of the artwork. The statues give a clear character of the cloisters and the distinguishing features in the artwork. Later after some years, various issues like the revolution contributed to the falling of the church and the cloisters. They both ended-up in becoming ruins that most historians refer to as historical features.
- Works cited
- British Archaeological Association. Journal of the British Archaeological Association, Volume 159. New York: British Archaeological Association., 2006. Print.
- Edith Kramer. ON QUALITY IN ART AND ART THERAPY. American Journal of Art Therapy, Volume: 40 Issue: 4, Page: 218, 5p.
- Kleiner Fred. Gardner's Art Through the Ages: A Global History. New York: Cengage Learning, 2010.Print.
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